Downy babes - little puff balls.

Of course, I had to count the crowd of Scaups! Glad I caught up w/this thread. I'm really enjoying your photos Gary.

I've been thinking about the cammouflaged babies. Some resemble the parents (water fowl), while others are different colors. I guess it depends on where they are living at different stages of development. The mew gull chicks need camo, while the adults don't.

The Arctic Terns have grown so fast they are no longer little puff balls. Today, I saw one chick take off and fly several wide circles, before making a rather rough landing, on the edge of the parking area.

This message was edited Jul 1, 2009 8:28 AM

Arctic Tern with two fledglings?

The Mew Gull chicks are growing rapidly also. Compare these two chicks to the first picture in this thread, form only two weeks ago.

Isn't it amazing how fast they grow? Thanks for the update.

We have had 2 artic terns here. They sit on a log all day. That is all they do. I call them log potatoes.

It definitely is amazing! Those Terns are still adorable. Great shots Gary!

Some more nice shots, Gary. I've been trying to photograph some Least Terns with some difficulty. I never see them land anywhere. They constantly circle the water fast and their dives are impossible to follow with a camera. My only success has been to capture them when they are hovering just before their quick dive into the water.

I just love those speckled babies, fluffy or not so fluffy!